XPENG Robotaxi approved for Level 4 operations in Guangzhou, with rides initially by invitation

XPENG has received approval to operate its Level 4 Robotaxi service in Guangzhou under the city's intelligent connected vehicle demonstration programme. The approval allows the company to move beyond testing and begin offering autonomous rides in real-world traffic conditions.

However, the service is not yet open to everyone. XPENG says it will continue to roll out access through invitation codes, gradually expanding availability while prioritising safety.

Four AI chips delivering 3,000 TOPS

XPENG's Robotaxi service operates under the name XPENG YOYO (小鵬悠游), using vehicles based on the XPENG GX.

Each vehicle is equipped with four in-house-developed Turing AI chips, delivering a combined effective computing power of 3,000 TOPS. The system also runs XPENG's second-generation Vision-Language-Action (VLA) model.

Together, these technologies are designed to help the vehicle interpret its surroundings, recognise other road users and make driving decisions in complex traffic situations.

However, high computing power alone does not guarantee fully autonomous driving in every situation. Actual capabilities depend on the software, road conditions and safety validation.

The next challenge: commercial operations

Regulatory approval is an important step, but running a successful Robotaxi service involves more than getting vehicles to drive themselves.

XPENG will also need to manage passenger bookings, vehicle dispatch, pick-up and drop-off procedures, and unexpected situations. Fleet utilisation, operating costs and service reliability will all play a part in determining whether the business can operate sustainably.

The company plans to use its Guangzhou operations to gain experience in fleet management and passenger services. Longer term, XPENG aims to offer its vehicle platforms, autonomous driving software and AI technology to international partners as it explores ways to expand the Robotaxi business.

For Hong Kong, XPENG's progress in Guangzhou offers a glimpse of how autonomous ride-hailing could develop in the future.

However, approval to operate in Guangzhou does not automatically allow Robotaxis to operate on Hong Kong roads. Local regulations, road conditions and operating approvals would need to be addressed separately.

XPENG's latest approval brings its Robotaxi service a step closer to wider public use, but large-scale deployment will depend on how well the technology performs in everyday operations — and whether the service can be delivered safely, reliably and at a sustainable cost.

Source: XPENG official announcement.

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